Rolls-Royce Power Systems and its affiliate MTU showcase microgrids for mining companies that supply decentralized power while reducing emissions by up to 30% at the MINExpo, held in Las Vegas this week. The system connects diesel and/or gas-fuelled generator sets, MTU’s EnergyPack battery system as well fuel cells into one microgrid.
Liquefaction demand at US terminals will stay strong through end-October, Energy Aspects forecast given that Henry Hub gas prices for the winter strip (November-March 2022) are approaching $5 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu). Exports to Europe remain lucrative, analysts say, as long as prices at the Dutch TTF trading hub are above $18/mmBtu.
Construction works have started for the Haru Oni project in Puenta Arenas in the Patagonia region of Chile, where Siemens Energy and Porsche are building the world’s first plant for producing CO2-neutral fuel, so-call eFuel. Based on power-to-X technologies, the pilot plant is expected to produce around 130,000 litres of eFuels in 2022.
ExxonMobil and Global Thermostat, an R&D firm, have been testing an agile solution of soaking up carbon dioxide emissions from the air – notably from industrial facilities and power stations – at a pilot plant in California. Once economically viable, the solution could help meet the world’s climate goals.
ENKRAFT, a fund with a track record of investing in renewables, has acquired more than 500,000 shares in RWE – worth €16.4 million ($19m) at current prices. In a letter to RWE management, seen by Reuters, ENKRAFT urges the German multinational energy company to divest of its brown coal assets.
Siemens Energy has been selected by Aker Solutions to supply equipment to electrify the semi-submersibles for the giant Troll oil and gas field. Field operator Equinor estimates that reducing the electricity use from gas turbines on Troll B and C facilities will reduce annual CO2 emissions by 500,000 tonnes, or 1% of Norway’s total emissions.
Fourth-quarter spot gas prices at the US gas trading benchmark Henry Hub will average $4.00 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), or above — a 16% rise from levels forecast in August by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The price increase reflects lost production from Hurricane Ida combined with growing gas-burn for power generation.
Low gas production, down 28% year-to-date, combined with high coal and carbon prices and booming LNG demand in Asia, is fuelling a price rally at the British gas trading hub NBP. Though production is forecast to recover to 35 Bcm in 2022, LNG will have to balance demand this winter.
Welding works for the Nord Stream-2 pipeline have been completed, the operator announced, adding pre-commissioning activities will follow swiftly with the aim of putting the pipeline into operation before the end of this year. Nord Stream-2 will help meet Europe’s long-term energy needs, the operator stressed, and provide gas “under sensible economic conditions.”
The Government of the Philippines is accelerating the approval process for LNG import terminals to avoid a spike in electricity prices and power shortages, once Malampaya reserves will be depleted in 2024. First Gen and Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Co (AG&P) projects were given Notice to proceed (NTP) and urged to complete their projects by the second half of 2022.
CTCI, Taiwan’s largest engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contactor, has been selected for Phase-2 of the Sun Ba combined cycle power plant in southern Taiwan in consortium with Siemens Energy. The 1,100 MW plant, powered by a HL-class turbine, is due operational in 2024.
Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) and Hanwha Energy are close to winning a contract to build the 1,500 MW Hai Lang LNG-fuelled power plant in Vietnam. The two companies, in consortium with Southern Power and Vietnam's T&T Group, were the only bidders in the 5.5 trillion Won ($4.75bn) project tender and currently hold exclusive talks with the local government.
News in Brief
Rolls-Royce supplies MTU engines to Sanlorenzo
Sept 27 – Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems will become one of the leading engine suppliers for Sanlorenzo, delivering MTU 10V, 12V and 16V 2000 yacht engines with a compact IMO 3 solution. A framework contract from 2022 through 2024 has been signed at the Monaco Yacht Show.
Shell exits Permian Basin
Sept 24 – Royal Dutch Shell has sold all its upstream interested in US Permian Basin to ConocoPhillips for $9.5 billion in cash. Shell’s assets in the Permian include around 225,000 net acres with a current production of around 175,000 barrels per day equivalent.
Global biogas market tops $88bn in 2030
Sept 22 – The global biogas market is set to expand at a rate of 8.4% annually and reach $88.47 billion in 2025. According to ResearchAndMarkets, the main growth drivers are small-scale power generators that use biogas derived from municipal or agricultural waste through anerobic digestion. Europe was the largest region in the biogas market in 2020, though Asia Pacific recorded the fastest growth.
Fatih Birol on Time 100 list
Sept 20 – The Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol has been named as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine in its annual list. ““In a world where facts are assaulted, Fatih Birol combines the best of high-tech data, optimistic know-how and old-school rhetorical finesse,” US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry commented, suggesting the IEA head would use his authority to “slash carbon emissions and save our planet.”
Chevron lacks Net Zero target
Sept 17 – US oil major Chevron is plans to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions along its oil and gas value chain, but lacks a clear Net Zero target. CEO Mike Wirth told investors and shareholders “an ultimate pathway to net zero will require technology advancements, more ambitious government policy, and development of large offset markets.” Concrete steps will be revealed in next month’s update to Chevron’s climate change resilience report.
Paul Browning to lead MHI’s energy transition team
Sept 15 – Mitsubishi has appointed Paul Browning as deputy head of Energy Transition & Power Headquarters, Energy Systems at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Browning is currently CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas and will move to the new position on October 1, 2021.
Linde to help build liquefaction plant in Russia
Sept 14 – Gazprom has handed an EPC contract to Linde, Renaissance Heavy Industries and RusKhimAlyans, to build a gas liquefaction plant within the Gas Processing Complex (GPC) at the port of Ust-Luga, west of St Petersburg. The GPC will process ethane-containing gas into various fuels, and the two-Train liquefaction plant will have a design capacity for 13 million tons of LNG per year.
Santos completes Oil Search takeover
Sept 13 – Australian LNG exporter Santos has completed the takeover of Oil Search in a deal worth A$8.40 billion (US$6.25 billion). The all-share transaction brings together upstream oil and gas and LNG export assets in the Timor Sea, the Australian state of Queensland and in Papua New Guinea. Under the deal, Santos holds a 61.5% share of the merged company and Oil Search the remaining 38.5%.
Rolls-Royce goes green at DSEI trade show
Sept 10 – Rolls-Royce Energy Solutions is showcasing a range of sustainable power solutions at the DSEI trade show in London this week. The company’s is currently exploring how its Defence business can contribute to wider corporate objectives such as sustainability, electrification, and the development of digital technologies
Wärtsilä develops mobile battery for inland vessels
Sept 8 – Wärtsilä has developed and delivered a mobile battery container to enable inland waterway vessels to operate with zero emissions to ZES, a Dutch company founded in 2020 by ING Bank, the French utility Engie and the Port of Rotterdam. The two containers were delivered in June and the batteries are in continues operation since then.
EU-funds project for energy efficiency
Sept 7 – Today, the European Union (EU) funded HEATLEAP project has been launched to demonstrate the benefits of waste heat recovery systems such as large heat pumps for industries and gas expanders for electric utilities. Turboden will coordinate the project whereby heat pumps and gas expanders are tested at real scale.
EnerMech signs new deals in Americas
Sept 6 – Integrated solutions specialist EnerMech has secured several multi-sector contracts in the Americas. The multiple sector awards span the oil and gas, petrochemicals, maritime, and power generation industries. The largest contract is for nitrogen and leak testing of installations for an E&P operator in offshore Gulf of Mexico. As a result of these new awards EnerMech doubled its electrical team, and increased the number of mechanical pipefitters.
ACWA Power to hold IPO
Sept 3 – ACWA Power International has launched an initial public offering (IPO) to list its shares on the Saudi stock exchange, the Tadawul. The ACWA Power share sale will be the biggest in the Kingdom since the 2019 floatation of Saudi Aramco, which sold 1.5% of its shares and the trading debut valued the oil and gas business at $1.88 trillion.
Iran braces for winter gas shortage
Sept 2 – Iran’s Thermal Power Plant Holding (TPPH) has urged the energy ministry to take precaution to avoid fuel shortages in the coming winter. “We have faced serious problems last year due to the lack of gas and liquid fuel required by the power plants, and there is a concern that we will not be able to fully meet the country’s electricity needs this winter either,” said TPPH’s managing director Mohsen Tarztalab. Since households customers are prioritised and significantly increase their gas consumption in the coal season, power generators often have to resort to burning liquid fuels instead.
LYTT technology monitors carbon capture
Sept 1 – LYTT, a provider of real-time insights to oil and gas operators through a fiber optic sensor, LYTT is testing novel technology to monitor CO2 transport and migration in storage reservoirs together with SINTEF, an institute for applied research. Tracking dynamic multiphase flow is essential when monitoring the long-term effectiveness of carbon capture storage (CCS).
Gazprom invests in Russian gas grid
Sept 1 – Gazprom’s board of directors has approved 2.9 times more financing for new gas supply and infrastructure in 2021-2025 than in the previous five-year period. Over two-thirds of the investments will be made in rural areas, Gazprom explained, and by 2026, the gas grid expansion is planned to be “completed to the fullest extent possible in 35 regions of Russia.”
Woodside pioneers MAN’s Factory LNG solution
Aug 30 – Australian LNG pioneer Woodside is working with MAN to commercialise a solution for small-to-mid scale LNG production. Known as Factory LNG, concept involves a nominal 0.05 mtpa unit, the size of 40-foot ISO shipping container that can be transported via standard heavy-lift ships and trucks. The compact design shortens construction timeframes compared to traditional stick-built or modular LNG trains.
